Jaded Whispers
by He-Jay
Summary: A spin-off/loose sequel to Please Smile. Different choices means different ways to corruption, despair, and an end like any other. What is now proved was once only imagined, and an undertaking of great advantage, but nobody to know what it is. Perhaps this chance, the winds will blow more favourably upon you than the last.
1. Where Dreams Ran Pure Again

Lilies of the Valley.

He watched Elsword pick a few, amongst other wildflowers of splendid colours, but the small, bell-like flower buds captured his attention, also stirring old memories he thought he had laid to rest. Adjusting his coat, he directed his attention to sharpening his sword, grinding his blade against the whetstone with careful precision and caution, although he had done it many times before.

She never cared for silken outfits or jewelled trinkets of the finest insert-some-exotic-country-name. Although it earned her much scathing gossip, she talked regularly to the commonfolk. She wore simple dresses and (the fashionable ladies called this a horror) trousers and shirts and armour that only defined her natural beauty further.

And flowers. Seris loved how the little flowers dangled from their stem, like little steps. "Fairy steps to heaven", she called them lovingly. She appreciated flowers of every kind, but the Fairy Lilies were special. They brought happiness, a pure sweetness hard to find in the war-torn countries within Elrios.

Here was a memory: a week before their official engagement, he got her a bouquet of those flowers (In Velder, they were rare as they were precious) after scrounging around the nearby woodlands and even the nearest mountain, and when she was presented with the fruits of his labour, she looked as if ready to burst with joy. She was almost crying in delight as she threw her arms around him, dirty and messy as he was.

How he regretted that he didn't find them more often, and give her more reasons to smile.

Such recollections pained him. It had taken great measures and sacrifices to forfeit his rage, no matter how justified. The people that deserved his anger and vengeance...they were unreachable. And if he kept his fury? That would have only poisoned him, the past engulfing his present and future in the flames of his wrath. No. He could not give himself, or his arm, to such destructive power.

The stings of past injustices, the indignation...most of it was gone now. That didn't mean he was free from his other emotions: Guilt. Shame. Regret. Sadness.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Elsword sheathed his sword and walked over to Aisha, offering the floral bunch with a knightly bow and shy eyes with some words the elder couldn't decipher. Raven sneaked another look with approval; the redhead's chivalry was heart-warming. He couldn't make out what the girl said in return, but both of them were blushing very furiously. But he could tell both were also much pleased.

The sweetness brought a wave of nostalgia, and pain. All this while he had soothed his rage by clinging to the scraps of memories that defined him before: His blood brothers of the Black Crows. The kingdom's subjects that looked to him in admiration and appreciation for allowing them to be heard over the hedonism of the nobles. And Seris, who had been with him every step of the way, to the death. Seris...

Fairy Lilies..._she_ also loved them.

As the elder sister caught the flustered pair, cuffing her brother good naturedly and winking at Aisha, another figure emerged out of the trees, wearing an apron filled with plants, and flowers. Beautiful white flowers, fragrant lilacs, white daisies with bits of dirt still clinging at the roots. Her golden hair was a mess, but that bothered her little as she waved to the others, and approached him with a beatific smile.

But what was she to him? A figure that helped him move forward and achieve a future? Or a memory long past that he kept forcing into the present?

"...Raven, I think your sword is sharpened enough. Unless you plan to grind the blade off its hilt, please put it down."

* * *

"Atta boy!" Elesis clapped her hand behind his back, making the gears on his shoulders rattle. "Now _that__'__s_ how you get a lady! Hard to believe that you were once the boneheaded muscle boy I've trained all those years ago!"

"Sister, please..." He muttered, his face flushing even deeper. "That was not what I..."

"Nonsense!" The elder flashed a grin at Aisha, who squeaked and stared at the ground. "I'm proud of you, little brother. And as for you..."

She jerked to attention, thankful that her bangs hid some of her face. "Y-yes?"

"Tell me when he gets all into a knot, will you? If he ever tries to do something funny to you..." Elesis opened her palm, allowing a ball of fire to flare at her fingertips. "He'll burn worse than in Hell."

The Lord Knight groaned. His timing was terrible to have caught the attention of his raucous, free-spirited sister the exact moment he attempted to court with the High Mage.

"Sister, I understand," Contradicting her would be pointless. "Now please, if you could just...give us a moment..."

"What?...Oh. _Oh._" She grinned. "Proposing already, eh?"

* * *

Eve was never meant to be a fully cohesive combat unit; Moby and Remy were her guardians and battle units to be used occasionally. After all, her codes were much more intricate than those of her subjects. She possessed calculative analysis programs, data of the history of the Nasods, the technology of her ancient predecessors and potential successor, several among many that she used as queen.

Code 'Exotic' was meant to be used as a last resort. It was ancient and had almost been forgotten by Eve herself, therefore incomplete, unstable, which was why it was intended to be used when the Nasods had nothing else to lose.

Because it had been within Eve since the beginning, lying inactive within her core, the code quickly adapted to Eve's systems, working its way through her circuits as Nasod blades materialized in her systems. Nasod spears bended to her will. Explosives and blasters hovered at her fingertips, firing themselves at the flick of her fingers. Moby and Remy evolved with their mistress, becoming whips, launchers, and missile launchers.

She was the Scion of the Nasods, but more. The Queen of Destruction.

"It's you...! You're the one from...from the old Nasod!"

Her face, usually set in a deadpan expression, furrowed in slight dismay. This human—a madman, seeing as he carried out his actions with little remorse or fear, that stood before her as if her superior, wielded weapons that were derived from her race! That fact alone was an insult to her kind.

And the way he _stared_ at her, so hungrily...it was as if he had never seen a Nasod before.

Which, of course, wasn't implausible. But why did he stare at her so, as if she were his prey? It was disconcerting.

"You will get hurt. Do not get in my way." Eve always warned her adversaries, offering a last chance for them to back down. It was, in a way, how she kept her own sanity from mindless destruction. She sought no pleasure in death and ruin and battle was nothing more than a means to an end.

Silence.

"Get hurt?" He repeated those words questioningly. A grin spread on his face. "Of course, we can't have that, can we? We don't want your codes damaged...that would mess up the experiment." He laughed in anticipation. "Much too precious to be damaged."

Indeed, he was not disappointed. Her battle stance, drones...it was exactly as he had read about and imagined! No, more! Way more! He was almost overwhelmed at the data he could collect by just looking at her, watching her fight, her moves and abilities...imagine the trove of knowledge and information he could get from even a single line of her internal coding!

He adjusted his Dynamos, reducing their power to almost two-thirds; she was clearly a Nasod from the ancient ages, an old, but much more developed and powerful being. If he _damaged_ her...even his research might not be enough to fix her. After all, his Dynamos were of similar make.

"Do not presume to lay your filthy hands on me." Eve shied from physical contact, and only tolerated them from Rena, who always meant well. She slashed her hand upwards, the commanded spear lashing out in response. Moby and Remy flanked her, their own blades unfurling from behind.

* * *

**A preview, but mostly a prototype, to another story. It somewhat picks up from Please Smile, but I can hardly call it a sequel, since PS is well...done. That was a tale of another Elrios.**

**That aside, I would like your opinions and general thoughts on this, and what expectations you have on this spin-off/sequel. One thing I realized from PS is that while I read and accepted every review and critique, I never found myself carrying them out in chapters. Although I received much praise from it nonetheless, I would still like to include some suggestions/thoughts. And of course, if there are no opinions whatsoever then I'll just make it as I go along and hopefully achieve a happier ending. But there would be no guarantee.**

**Thank for reading! :)**


	2. Slap of Doubtful Reality

Hello again.

The preview, or first chapter aren't flashbacks, but there is a definite time gap between the chronological order of the previous chapter and this. Yes, now I'm starting the legit shit here.

* * *

It would be inaccurate to say he hated her.

She had helped him, trained him in his earliest steps. Under her firm but merciful guidance, he learned to pick up and wield his sword. Later on he would learn that her brusque, harsh attitude masked hands that picked up fallen blankets and covered his sleeping body and eyes that looked on with concealed affection and glowing pride. Under her (extremely subtle) recommendation did Captain Lowe take him into his tutelage…and, barely one moon passed after that before she vanished.

No explanation, no trace, no body. He had been too stunned to even feel grief.

Their parents had never been the same after that. His Lord Father, who had rested all his hopes on her to inherit his lands and name, was shattered. He buried his sorrow in work, barely coming to a home that wasn't home anymore. His Lady Mother never lived again. She breathed, but her bare existence was not a life. It was a twisted sense of relief he had felt when she had finally closed her eyes, for he knew that her wretched life of misery was to be no more.

He did not cry for his sister, because she would not have liked that.

He instead focused all his energies and the crumbling grief into perfecting hiss blade, dragging his tired ass from bed at every crack of dawn. His desperate sense of loss and frustration, he quelled with training, duelling, and exterminating the demon vermin that threatened his home. All the sword techniques he learned from her (that he could remember), he mastered with endurance and exertion, enhancing each skill with his own style and strength.

When Penensio, a rather taciturn fellow of the Red Cross Guard offered to train Elsa's younger brother in the arts of rune crafting and magic to infuse with his swordsmanship, he had declined. His sister had been dedicated to knighthood, with determination and absolute certainty. Magic was intangible till it escaped its caster, unstable, and dangerous, everything she would not have stood for. At least with a sword, he could put it down. He would not impose the risk of having magic.

He mastered himself. It took an exasperatingly long time, but his petty squabbles with Aisha settled into chivalrous helpfulness and amicable camaraderie. His changed behaviour earned him approval from Rena, a familiar kinship with Raven, who had also become proficient at his blade through discipline and honour, who often taught him new skills and engaged in friendly duels.

Even Eve acknowledged him. ("You have come a long way from the imbecilic blockhead you had been when we first crossed paths. I am glad that I am your 'friend'.")

He was no longer a knight by name alone. He was a Lord Knight, an exceptional title given by the Velder Garrison Centurion herself! Vanessa was not easily impressed, and rarely acknowledged such respect to outsiders. It was an honour he accepted with joyful pride. A Knight had to sacrifice the right to personal satisfaction to unselfishly serve the welfare of his people, but through his exalted and selfless deeds, he believed he found his place in this chaotic world. His elders respected him, his peers envied him, ladies swooned in his presence (that was something he did not fully know how to handle, however), and his comrades trusted him with their lives.

Looking back to when he was a hot-headed boy with nothing to lose, it would not be arrogant of him to think that he had come a long way, respecting his sister's memory. He could finally lay her soul to rest in his mind.

Then she came back, as if she had never been gone.

She said she had gone off to destroy powerful demons that had threatened to destroy the dimensions of this world. She said she most went through a dimensional wormhole, almost disappearing forever. She said she left met, and trained with, many people, seeing lots of the world and what she needed to protect. She said she learned to become a stronger warrior, infusing the powers of Rosso with her blade to strike her enemies in her scorching fire. She said she was now what people dubbed her as a 'Blazing Heart'. She said she was ready to face him now. She said she was sorry.

If he wasn't a knight, he might have slapped her.

Sorry?

Was that the best she could do?

He felt betrayed. His memory had betrayed him. He had chosen the path of lawful knighthood, like his sister had in the beginning. He believed he was honouring his sister and what their family stood for. All this time she had been adventuring on her own, forgetting everyone and everything else. She had both destructive firepower and swordsmanship, becoming twice as dangerous. And she didn't care; it showed. Her jacked was singed, her cloak in ashy tatters, chunks of her hair burned off, yet she continued to seek trouble, all in the name of exploration.

She had a new name now: 'Elesis'; which was fine. Just fine. This 'Elesis' was not the Elsa he had idolized from boyhood. Because it hadn't been enough that she turn her back on all she had stood for. Even her name hadn't been worth holding onto, it seemed.

'Sorry' didn't save the world. 'Sorry' didn't bring Mother and Father from their restless graves, his Lady Mother's last word being her daughter's name as she breathed out 'Elsa' in dying gasps. 'Sorry' did not excuse her from causing their parents so much tears and distress, causing them to pass away out of broken hearts. She was as reckless and uncaring as the element she wielded.

He would rather have continued believing she was dead, lost to the world.

Personally, he would have preferred that they never cross paths again, forever strangers. If they were together, she would challenge his leadership simply because of the blood they shared, carelessly slipping on her mistakes with no thoughts. But he was a knight. Knights served the greater good—and she suppressed hordes of monsters with great efficiency.

He accepted this 'Blazing Heart' as a member of his team. He answered her questions and remarks with curt civility. Banter between them was rare and strictly between combat and course of direction. He faced her with chivalry befitting of his position. He was responsible; proper…everything Elsa inspired him to be. And this 'Elesis' just threw it all back in his face. Seeing her laugh with his team-mates, acting as if she had every right to be there…it was hard not to feel anger.

He resented her and the chaotic change she represented. He felt betrayed, played with, which didn't make sense because technically he wasn't.

Looking up, he saw Aisha in front of him, gazing worriedly at him. He had been overly formal when not locked in heavy silence ever since his sister had been found and offered to join them. He threw a reassuring smile.

Yes, it would be inaccurate to say that he hated the one who claimed to be his family; resentment, possibly, but not hate. Still, it burned in his mouth every time to call that woman 'Sister'. Then why did he keep saying it? Out of habit? Or did he actually believe her still to be that kind, older sister who had promised to always watch out for him?

"Hey, Elsword!" She tramped over to him till he craned his head to look her in the eye. "Soft spot for Aisha, eh?" She grinned. "Let me give you some tips on how to get the girl's heart, though I think you got it in the hole already from the looks of it—"

"Please," He interrupted. Now that he wasn't caught at an awkward moment, he could speak with a calmer tone, with more control. "I can manage my affairs on my own, thank you."

She slipped into a pout. "Aw, but Elsword, don't you want sisterly advice on how to woo a girl?"

His gaze hardened inconspicuously. Removing her arm that was around his shoulder, he replied, "No, thank you; I do not need 'sisterly advice' now, or in the future." He got out the word 'sisterly' with a slight bitterness. "I do not wish to discuss this with you, so please do not bring up this topic again."

She shrugged and said, "All right, but don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart~"

He breathed, a sharp gust. _You're the last person I would come to…__Elesis._

"Elsword?" As Elesis pranced away, a gentler hand touched his shoulder gently; a touch he welcomed more than that of the Blazing Heart's. He didn't have to turn to see who it was; her presence was always heralded by a soft gust of spring wind, suiting her title. "Let's set camp here. We've had a long day today."

He debated whether to agree or differ. They had made good travel time, held back only by small groups of demon raiders and such, plus the sun was already going down. If the dark rose before they reached the next rest stop they would become easy prey to the night hunters. He turned to look at her, her green eyes bright with concern and a gentle kindness that seemed almost motherly. She was like…Elesis…in some aspects, light-hearted and merry as the winds. But Rena knew when to be the playful gale and when to be the soothing breeze to support her friends. And the wind never disappeared.

Many worries and complex feelings weighted his mind, but he mustered a smile for his favourite elf. "Sure, Rena. Could you tell Raven to set up the tents?"

"On it." She grinned, then flew away in a wisp.

Most of the party were relieved at the thought of respite as they willingly lowered their burdens, clearing apart the nearby shrubbery for the night. Raven was driving down the tent nails and erecting the poles with accustomed precision and hustle, Rena was singing as she stomped a patch of ground, placing rocks around to create a fire-pit. Eve was not too far away from the elf, slicing off branches for firewood whilst keeping her guard high for danger; namely, the one who sought to dismantle her and take her core.

"We're short two tents." Chung informed his companion, looking a tad sympathetic.

Elsword sighed as he took out the camp rations, tossing him a skin of water, which the Chaser accepted. "What happened to the second one?" Because clearly it wasn't enough that their first tent had to be torn apart by the Glitter raid a few days ago. But they hadn't suffered much ambushes after that, so how...?

"Er." Chung grimaced. "It...caught fire."

"Caught fire." Elsword repeated, realizing what he was going to hear, but asking anyway. "Care to explain?"

"I wasn't there to see it, but Ara told me Elesis and Add were playing some game, and she accidentally set a tent on fire, plus two bushes and a tree. It...didn't end well."

Noticing details—and withholding some—kept Chung alive in battle and observe his companions. Elsword was a worthy friend with a respectable sense of honour, polished with his training to be a Lord Knight. His friend had always idolized his sister, eventually believing that she had passed from this world. Now she was here, claiming a blood tie he thought long lost. Chung found it difficult to understand why this reunion held much animosity and tension when it should have been a time of rejoice. But it was clear that feelings ran deep.

Furthermore, it was not his place to judge. Elsword was their leader and friend, and his loyalties lied with him regardless.

He looked carefully. The Knight's expression was disturbingly dark for a fleeting instant before relaxing to its usual self-possessed demeanour. "Someone will have to sleep outside, then. Or take double shift on patrol duty. We'll figure something out once everything else is settled."

"Right." Chung handed the drink back to Elsword and walked towards main camp, offering to help Raven with the other tents. Elsword took a few moments to relapse in thought, finding little solace. There was simply too much on his mind. Resigned, he loosely followed the Chaser back where his other friends were waiting.

"Hey, Elsword, what's the hold up? Come on! And stop being such a stickler with the food, man. We're all hungry!"

"If we ate all the camp rations in one go what are we supposed to eat for tomorrow...?"

"Seems like you had plenty enough food to destroy the Altera Core. Didn't even leave any scraps for me to recover." He growled. That seemed like an eon ago, yet just like all the other times before, the embittered Add never failed to mention Elsword's supposed blunder in destroying the deranged Nasod King and most of the race. And just like all the other times before, the other members of the El-Team never failed to disregard his complaints.

Elsword shrugged, composed as always. "No one is forcing you to stay here, Add."

He snorted. "I'd like to see anyone try." He scanned the faces, looking for anyone that dared to differ and seemed pleased upon finding none. His Dynamos swirled around him as he arose, dusting off imaginary dust from his suit and marched out of the campsite(not before shooting a yearning glance at Eve's core). No one bothered; they knew he wasn't going anywhere too far, probably somewhere secluded to engage in that blasted research of his...or Eve. It was all the same.

"That man is a threat. Why do we allow him to live?" Eve mused aloud. Personally she found his attempts to filch her Queen's Core increasingly tedious, as she had to reset her security system after every attempt.

Rena raised an eyebrow. "You have the power to destroy him to little bits and scatter him across the dimensions, Eve. Why do _you_ allow him to live?"

"I have not been given orders to do so." She looked pointedly at Elsword.

But Rena only laughed. "And since when does the Queen of Vengeance allow herself to _wait_ for orders?"

Ignoring the jibe, Eve simmered into brooding silence.

After a great deal of adjustments, several arguments and amusing threats, everyone eventually settled down for the night. Eve refused to initiate full stasis mode while her predator lurked about, waiting to strike. Nobody knew where Add went, and none particularly cared to know. Ara and Rena generously offered to guard her while she charged. Even then, Eve made sure to rest at half-time, so that her senses would still be receptive to any danger. Of course, the recharging process took thrice as long when she did so, but elves hardly slept as much as humans and Ara would not be called the Mistress of Darkness if she slept through the whole night!

Additionally, Elesis agreed that spending a night under the stars wasn't so bad, either. They were on the fringes of the borders of Velder; a modest forest provided sufficient cover where the team could rest...and have a fair view of the crumbling kingdom.

Velder was being ambushed by demons, mostly in large raids. They had purged Commercial Area 1, one of Velder's vital trading routes, but their travel to Hamel was cut short by a letter from Vanessa urgently requesting aid: the Southern Gate had collapsed, the gate which had served as the only evacuation route for the people. Thankfully the team had been intercepted early on, so it was only a day's worth of travel on returning to Velder. Now, with the kingdom in their sights, they would be prepared for tomorrow. Elsword assumed that they would have to fend off the raiders while the gate was cleared up, help evacuate the inhabitants, and finally maintain the borders of the refuge camp. The camp would be easy to secure, with Vanessa leading the remaining troops, but the kingdom...

"Rest up while you can." Elsword assured the others. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day."


	3. Be It So Different From Before

"Do you hate her?"

On the outskirts of Velder, the view of the kingdom's walls and palace was a sight to behold...in part because from this distance, it was easy to miss the crumbled barricades, and the many monsters that skittered across its boundaries. Both were sitting on a fresh log that Eve had graciously smashed to the ground for a bench.

It was fortunate indeed that Rena and Elesis were not picky about sleeping in tents, and Code Exotic did not need such shelter, for she did not sleep.

But that was not the point. In the ensuing hush that followed her question, Aisha inwardly berated herself for speaking so unreservedly on what must be a sensitive topic, damning her carelessness. She was surprised when he replied:

"No." After a pause, he reaffirmed, "No, I do not hate her." He felt compelled to elaborate, as he knew well his words and actions contradicted each other. But he did not know what to say, or where to begin. There were infinitely many reasons, none which would make sense to her.

Scooting closer to him, she tried to comfort. "Your sister tries." She spoke in a kind voice, not unlike the teacherly tone she used in instructing mage apprentices. "I know it seems like she doesn't care what happened, but she means the best. Maybe," she mused aloud, "it's her way of coming to terms with it so she can properly apologize later on." She turned to him.

A lily was peeping from behind her ear; the blossom from the bouquet he had given to her. It almost made him smile as he struggled to hold back his accusations and heated denials at such a notion. But, for her, he pretended to at least give her the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe you're right." He said shortly, staring at the fire before him.

Aisha smiled hopefully, relieved that he was listening. She was taken aback, but not displeased, when his gloved hand came to rest on top of hers. He stared into the blazing fire pit, deep in contemplation while Aisha looked on at Elesis, who was now sparring with Raven. She was pressing on enthusiastically, with the Blade Master deflecting every blow in an intricate combo of parries and strikes of his sword. The Blazing Heart, switching to a defensive manoeuvre, looked like she was having the time of her life, and Raven looking no less enthralled.

The intensity of combat was admirable to the common eye, and the Elemental Master was much reminded of how Elsword would demand an endless number of rematches every time the younger male got his ass handed down to him by the elder swordsman. Now the redhead sought more than to simply defeat, and after much trial and error, he managed to cleanly disarm Raven in an honourable match. It was a notion Aisha remarked audibly: "She really _is_ your sister..."

His hand stiffened. But his expression was consistently unreadable as he asked, "Oh?"

That should have been her cue to hold her tongue, but she went on, "Both of you have the same enthusiasm for fighting, except she's more wild about it. Kinda like you when we were younger." She laughed. "You know, I think in another world, you guys could have been the same—what's wrong?"

He stood up. Aisha did the same, but he was already starting to walk away.

"Hey!"

He turned, a deadpan expression set in steel. "Please don't compare me to her." He said coolly.

Aisha's petulant nature kicked in as she countered, "She's your family, Elsword..."

"It's all right." He cut in, maddeningly polite. "I do not expect you to understand. You do not need to pretend you have to. But I'm not the one that abandoned my family to go off on an adventure, for sport. I stay by my family and friends. And a family is supposed to be there when you need them, not just by a claim of blood. She is a team-mate, no more, no less." He turned to go.

She wanted to argue, say something more, but he forestalled the pending interruption. "I wish to be alone. Please do not follow me." He disappeared.

Aisha stayed back, willing her temper and tears not to rise. At least when both of them yelled, it was easy for her to see what he was thinking. Now he took her attitude in silence, accepting her anger and each of her ensuing apologies with grace. Now it was always her that yelled, and said things she would regret later. Always her.

High Enchantress? Master of the Elements? Ha. Every time she thought herself to be mature, refined, forever rid of her childish tendencies to reveal adultlike elegance within, this...happened, proving just how foolish she really is. And it's her fault. Who else could be blamed? She clenched her fists, feeling the magic within. No. She could not let them out. Uncontrolled magic ended in disastrous results; it was a lesson she knew well. She sat back down.

When her head cooled, she would go search for Elsword and beg for forgiveness. Again. The flower in her hair had begun to wilt like a sad puppy, reflecting her mood. Already regret was filling her like a basin. Why, why did she have to pressure him...Even her mentor before, the Grand Enchanter, had told her that her greatest flaw was her pride, believing she could solve everyone's problems...but then again, that was not what magic was for, even though she wished to believe it.

* * *

Elsword was not foolish to wander through the woods alone merely due to unchecked emotions. He walked to the very edge of the camp, where it still provided security while imposing space from everyone else. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he took out his cloth and drew his sword, beginning the task of cleaning his blade. But keeping his hands occupied did not prevent his mind from brooding. Aisha and he had always quarrelled, but he had believed that through their differences, the have maintained a good relationship.

But what did Aisha know of having an estranged sister? Perhaps it was too much to assume that she would understand. No, he hadn't presupposed that at all. But it was unfair that she wanted—no, expected him—to accept her as family without question simply because they had shared the same womb and having been his childhood idol for a very brief time. Sisters looked out for you. Sisters raised you when your parents were dead.

He was protected by the knights of the Red Order and Lowe. He was raised by his friends when there had been no one else. They were his family, not her!

He scrubbed the steel with unintended ferocity, making his movements as violent as combat—

"You must be training to become an axe murderer. Or your sword has done something dreadful to earn such punishment-like cleansing." His hand stilled as she regarded him appraisingly, her eyebrows raised in lazy interest.

He grunted, a sound that said nothing and could have meant anything. Unfortunately, Ara did not budge. "Why is our fearless leader so silent this evening?" She asked in a sultry voice, scanning his body language, wondering which buttons to press. "So deep in thought about...a woman, hm? Someone special?" She laughed softly. "My, my..."

"Not how you would think." He replied tartly. A few years above him, he had respected the girl as his senior and equal, but her recent changes resembled that of a seductress, and the arts of the dark and desirous always test me composure. "If you want to amuse yourself, bait someone else."

She scoffed, undeterred. "Don't take me for a fool. I know very well you seek the favour of the Enchantress, and whatever you feel for Elesis, it is anything but brotherly affection. I would sat that's a shame, but considering _my_ brother, who am I to judge?" She grinned, noting with sly satisfaction that she had hit the weak chinks in his armour. "Am I right?"

Elsword lacked the energy to argue; Ara relished a dark streak outlined with a questionable sense of humour and sardonic wit. He instead focused on another matter. "But you still intend to save your brother Aren?"

She sat next to him, the movement hitching up her dress to reveal a scandalous view of her thighs from which the knight averted his gaze, blushing slightly.

Pretending not to notice, she answered, "Yes and no."

Such an answer required explanation, and she was just as elusive in delivering it. Being from the eastern lands, she had a flower use of the common language and Elsword would later only recall pieces of the conversation (one of the few discourses that had a minimal sense of sarcasm and taunts) It went along the lines of this:

"He can claim to be an innocent victim, but does that cleanse the blood on his hands completely?" (Elsword wished he could say yes, but after seeing the destruction and carnage that had lain before them, he could not say so.)

"No, I didn't think so either. I once carried a belief that justice would serve all, purifying the lands healing the weak. That is a lie, of course. There is no justice from a derelict deity; we have to exact retribution ourselves. And that is what we are doing. The demons wish us dead and we wish to go on living There are no questions. We kill because they would kill us if we don't get to them first. The purpose of our war is war."

("But your brother?")

"Maybe I will meet him. May he'll die off first. What does it matter? If he is to be saved, then I shall. Even though there's little hope to last. If this 'Ran' is all that remains of Aren, it'll be a mercy to kill him."

("Even if he's your brother and the only family you have left?")

His bluntness did him little credit, but Ara sensed curiosity rather than the accusationsshe'd grown accustomed to. Her reply was barbed with sarcasm: "I will not have a demonic mockery to besmirch the memory of Aren. If he is to die, I will remember him as what he was, not the foul thing the demons made of him. Even if I have to slit open his throat myself." She looked like she'd do it, too.

She turned to him. "You ask because of Elesis, aren't you?" She sighed. "So predictable..."

He scratched his head. "Yeah, that didn't change, did it?"

"Mm." She nodded. "So, she's not taking over, is she?"

His face contorted into a sour expression. "If Elesis is causing any problems, then I can just send her away."

She tossed her head. "Hey, it's you we're following, not her. She's a feisty one—I'll admit—but she's not why we've come this far."

"...That just might be the nicest thing you've said to me in a long while."

"It's all you're getting." He wished to ask one more question, though he was hesitant, as if he would reveal a contemptible weakness. Deciding that he would ask another time, he smiled. He could still see some of the old Ara, within, through the destructive spiritual energy and the seductive demeanour.

"Thank you."

"Humph." She rolled her eyes, but the held a pleased, even indulgent glint. He could only grin wider, all his worries temporarily but completely disremembered.

* * *

She did it. She finally swallowed her pride, feeling instead the sharp prick of guilt. Elsword had always understood her problems—or tried to—promising that he would find and break the ring's curse and restore her powers, help her find her rightful place in the world. He didn't always know what to say, but he was always there to lend a listening ear, a warm shoulder, and a comforting smile. Didn't she owe him at least that much in return?

At a younger time, she had berated him for being immature and rude. Now it was like she was the only one that was such. And he took it, without a single hint of retaliation. She'd rather he shout and fight back as she did. Anger burned quickly, extinguished quickly. Guilt was like an unrelenting mist.

As she walked towards the far end of the tents to apologize, another thought occurred to her. Why not reason with Elsword, and heal the breach between the siblings? Elesis seemed more than willing to be his sister again and make amends. With the elder sister's free-spirited mind and the younger brother's wilful composure, both would complement each other splendidly and it would all be well. Many times she thought the team to be more of a family than a mere battle squadron.

(Except Add. His desire her to "tear her apart and analyze the working schematics of this infernal mana of magic and [insert techno-lingo here]" was diabolical. MasterMind her ass; he had a lunatic's mind, not a master's.) Anyway, maybe she could help the Knight accept Elesis as their family. She smiled at the heart-warming thought. It was only a start in repaying all the times he'd saved her neck, but it would be a worthy start.

Her reconciliatory goodwill stilled as she saw him, not brooding, but laughing and relaxed. Ara was with him, knocking his head with the butt of her spear.

She fought down the surge of jealousy. She was being too sensitive. It wasn't like her to be suddenly so possessive of her companion and friend. From afar, she looked upon them with wistful dismay.

Ara looked up, and seeing Aisha all withdrawn and confused, bit back a giggle. Being confused about something so certain, saying one thing while hoping for the opposite. It was childish. She grinned widely at the mage, her eyes glimmering with foxlike cunning, deliberately goading the younger girl.

Aisha could only become further distraught, and through it, anger. She made to stomp back...but that would mean her temper would best her again. And she couldn't afford to do that. She could sacrifice her ego, for Elsword. Not for the malefic seductress, whose...certain personality traits she found difficult to accept. Aisha could wait till she left, then deliver a proper apology. It was only fair.

"Something wrong?" Elsword asked.

The vixen chuckled. "You'll figure out soon enough." She shook her head. It was a shame, the redhead was a delicious prospect, and a visually pleasing one at that. Such a shame indeed that his heart was so firmly set on someone else. Hopefully his inherent clueless mind and the mage's narrow mind didn't destroy each other. No matter...there were plenty of fish in the sea, so the people here said. She didn't mind.

"I'm going to Eve. Someone has to keep Add from snapping too close."

He nodded. "If he hurts you, or anyone else..."

Laughter. "If he wanted to slaughter us and rip Eve's core from her head, he could have simply snuck in at camp and blast his Dynamos. He's insane, sure, but a good meat shield. Not to mention quite the looker." She whistled, and shrugged at the look Elsword gave her. "What? He's...mhm...how do you say it in the common tongue..._hot_. Yes, he's hot. Oh, don't worry, you're pretty hot, too. And Elesis is just burning." she grinned. "You're just too easy to make fun of. I was just joking. _Maybe_." She skipped away, chuckling.

He really needed to get used to her flirting. For all the "darkness" she boasted...he shook his head, smiling a little. Ara still had his back. It was good to know.

Seeing him approach the main camp, Aisha made to go toward him...only to be overrun by another once more.

"Elsword!" Her voice was boisterous as always as Elesis threw herself on top of her brother. "Wanna spar with your sister before bedtime?"

"...No, thank you." He wrested himself from underneath her.

"Stop being such a stick 'n' the mud!" She complained. "Just one little battle?"

Leaving out the part where all of her 'little battles' resulted in at least five trees burned to ashes, he replied politely. "We have some ground to cover tomorrow and Velder needs our help. We should conserve our energy for later, not now."

"A load of flowery language, little brother, to cover up the fact that you're just too _scared_ to fight me, eh?" She grinned.

He refused the bait, albeit with some difficulty. Why was she bothering him so? "Perhaps when we're not under attack or have a world to save, we may afford to take the irresponsible frivolities you so crave. But right now the kingdom you once swore to protect in is great danger and we should be preparing to fight the dark forces that threaten it, not each other." His eyes glittered dangerously. "I wish to rest. Good-night, Elesis."

She frowned; it had always been 'Noona', 'Sister', 'Ellie' when he had wanted to tease her.

Without another word, he disappeared into his tent, closing the tent flaps with unusual vigour.

* * *

His arm was quiet.

It had been silent for a long, long time now. There had been...episodes...where the arm seemed to flicker like a living entity, a parasite determined to take over its host. Wasn't that why he had chosen to shun it, avoiding the easy grab for destructive power and instead training himself to turn his rage into peace, achieve mastery through blade?

Yes, his arm was just that: an arm. Sometimes he doubted if it had been anything else. Maybe in another lifetime, he supposed.

It did no good to focus on the past, not when his present was so much brighter and surer. Indeed, he had many blessing to count upon, did he not? He was surrounded by dependable comrades—some he could trust his life with—, his honour as a Knight of Velder restored—and augmented, for now he held the title of the Royal Blade Master of Velder, and perhaps even a second chance at love—his interest in Rena was not unreciprocated, and the elf seemed happy to show that she cared, as well.

Which was precisely why he could not focus on the glorious present. A different woman, from a different world, of a different _race_...and she had to have the form of the person he had once loved the most in this world. How could he forget the past when it was always following him?

It wasn't her fault, no. He knew that. She knew, too. That was why she understood, and accepted that anything between them wasn't ever going to be concrete. She never asked for any commitment, to forget who he once adored. Sometimes he wanted to chase her down, ask just what she wanted, so he could stop...leading her on? Hurting her? He wasn't sure what.

But she eluded him, like a fragrance on the wind. She was filled with spunk, cheer, and good spirit—it was debatable if she ever had other emotions, like rage or depression.

Occasionally, he could forget. He could believe that he was fully living in the present. She was not a delicate member of the nobility caste that dreamed of a larger world. She was a strong, independent battle maiden that pounded dragons to submission and travelled through dimensions. He and Rena would combine their powers and exterminate hordes of demons quickly, efficiently, as a team. He believed he could see Rena as Rena, and she would accept him, kiss him lightly, carry on from there...

And at other times, he could not forget. Seris had the most beautiful green eyes, loved nature with every bit of her heart, and blew her hopes and kisses and dreams into the wind. She showed kindness to the most humble, even indulged the peasant children, and went out of her way to thank the common soldiers for their service.

"What're you thinking about, Raven?" She approached with a kind smile.

He turned at her, but not to her. Who was he looking at this time?

* * *

**TheGhost: **Thank you for appreciating this story! I'm glad the job classes I've chosen are pleasing to you, and I hope the story continues to be worthy of your attention in the future as well! Yes, Aisha's an Elemental Master, but "High Mage" is a title she uses as a Mage Instructor in Velder ^^

**AvidMind: **캐나다에 살고 있습니다만 한국에서 태어나고 자랐으니 한국말을 모르면 대단히 부끄러운 일이겠죠? 여기에 다른 한국 사람 만날줄은 몰랐습니다, 반가워요~ 여기도 물론 한국말 쓰지요! (엘소드 팬픽에 일본말 쓰는 것은 이해불가요) 제 팬픽을 좋아하다니 감동이에요~앞으로도 열심히 쓸게요~

And yes, I didn't make the pairings too concrete yet, because the story will go where it wants to go! I'll do my best, and hopefully the characters find a better future than the last...

Hahaha ah yes, the infamous sister complex. There is much to debate on that, especially since Elsword idolized his sister as a knight of justice, and Elesis decided to go "fire crazy burning raaaah", differences are inevitable, after all. I often think that 로나 is made fun of because he is so righteous and therefore dismissed as "prissy goody-two-shoes" by the audience...we shall see!

Thank you so much for your support!


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